diff --git a/utilities/ovs-appctl-bashcomp.bash b/utilities/ovs-appctl-bashcomp.bash
index 4384be8ae..0a9af1a18 100644
--- a/utilities/ovs-appctl-bashcomp.bash
+++ b/utilities/ovs-appctl-bashcomp.bash
@@ -223,6 +223,13 @@ printf_stderr() {
 # The code below is taken from Peter Amidon.  His change makes it more
 # robust.
 extract_bash_prompt() {
+    # On Bash 4.4+ just use the @P expansion
+    if ((BASH_VERSINFO[0] > 4 ||
+        (BASH_VERSINFO[0] == 4 && BASH_VERSINFO[1] >= 4))); then
+        _BASH_PROMPT="${PS1@P}"
+        return
+    fi
+
     local myPS1 v
 
     myPS1="$(sed 's/Begin prompt/\\Begin prompt/; s/End prompt/\\End prompt/' <<< "$PS1")"
diff --git a/utilities/ovs-vsctl-bashcomp.bash b/utilities/ovs-vsctl-bashcomp.bash
index fc8245bfb..c5ad24fb7 100644
--- a/utilities/ovs-vsctl-bashcomp.bash
+++ b/utilities/ovs-vsctl-bashcomp.bash
@@ -413,6 +413,13 @@ _ovs_vsctl_get_PS1 () {
         return;
     fi
 
+    # On Bash 4.4+ just use the @P expansion
+    if ((BASH_VERSINFO[0] > 4 ||
+        (BASH_VERSINFO[0] == 4 && BASH_VERSINFO[1] >= 4))); then
+        printf '%s\n' "${PS1@P}"
+        return
+    fi
+
     # Original inspiration from
     # http://stackoverflow.com/questions/10060500/bash-how-to-evaluate-ps1-ps2,
     # but changed quite a lot to make it more robust.